Register mechanism



Feb., 27, 940a G. J. GmzEY 2,191,616

REGISTER MECHANISM Filed Nov. 1o, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 2 /N VEN TOR @e3/rye 2671' ey.

Patented Feb.' 21, 1940 PATENT OFI-ICE REGISTER. MECHANISM George J. Grizey, Canton, Conn., assignor to Veeder-Boot Incorporated, a corporation of Connecticut Application November 10, 1937, Serial No. 173.8.34

11 Claims.

My invention relates to register mechanisms. It has among its objects to provide an improved register mechanism, and more particularly to provide improved mechanism for preventing overthrowing of the register during operation. A further object of my invention is toprovide such an improved mechanism having means for locking the lowest order, or driving, wheel of the register against rotation in either direction except by a registering operation of the register actuating drive. A still further object is to provide an improved ratchet actuating mechanism for registers having improved means to prevent movebeing brolren away and partly in section to show myimproved mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the resister, the casing being broken away and` showing a section substantiany on the une 2 2 df Fig. a;

Fig. 3 is an end View of the register;

Fig. 4 is va, sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2, showing the register actuating mechanism in its normal inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a like sectional view showing the mechanism at the end of a register actuating stroke;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but on an en- .larged scale, with portions broken away to facilitate illustration;

' Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line ll1 of Fig. 2;

v Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the register actuating mechanism showing the position of the parts just prior to the completion of the registering stroke and the release of the locking pawl;A

Fig. 9 is a'section on line -l of Fig. 1;

Fig. i0 is asection on line l-i oi'Fig. 9;

Fig. `11 is an enlarged detail view, showing a modiiied form of controlling arm for the locking rawl.:

Fig. 12 is a section on line |2--I2 of Fig. 11; y

Fig. 13 is a section through the lowest order counting wheel of Fig. 11, and

Fig. 14 is a sectionon line Il-il of Fig. 13.

, In the construction illustrated in Figures 1-10, I have shown a register having countinl wheels,

generally indicated at A, which are assembled 'u withlnaframe and casingB, thecountingwheels (Cl. 23S-131) A being journalled on a shaft i mounted in the end walls of the casing B. The counting wheels A are rotated by improved ratchet actuating mechanism, located adjacent one end of the casing and indicated generally at C, which is operatively connected with an external actuating arm 2 through an operating shaft 3. Herein, the casing is of a usual construction comprising a rectangular body I, end members 5, and tie rods 6, holding the end members tightly against the body I; the casing also being provided with a usual raised guard 1 having spaced apertures over each of the wheels. and a glass 8 between the guard and the casing permitting visibility of the numbers on the counting wheels which are beneath the apertures.

Herein, the counting wheelsA are of a usual denominational order type, being'independentlyl rotatable on the shaft i and operatively connected by usual tens-transfer mechanism including the zo transfer pinions 9. The ratchet actuating mechanism C for actuating the counting wheel I0 of lowest order is controlled by a toothed sector il which is fastened to a collar i2, while both sector and collar'are fixed to the shaft 3 and.moved together with the same when the actuating arm 2 is operated. In order that the sector, shaft and arm 2 shall return to initial position after a registering operation, improved stop means, hereinafter described, are provided and a coil spring I2a is connected between the lower end of the sector il and an adjacent tie rod 6` so as constantly to bias the sector in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. Each operation of the toothed sector Il by the actuating arm 2 advances the lowest order wheel I0 one-tenth of a revolution through engagement of the toothed sector with aA cooperating toothed member, or arm, I3 which is journalled at one end on shaft i. The member I3 has mounted thereon, adjacent its free end, a driving pawl I4 adapted to actuate a 10-tooth operating ratchet wheel II operatively connected to the lowest order wheel Il, herein by means of a usual clutch comprising the ratchet lia, carried on a usual 20- 5 tooth gear IIb, and usual cooperating spring pressed pawls Ilccarried bythe wheel I0. The driving pawl Mis pivoted on a stud I6 extending laterally from a projecting arm Ia on the i toothed member il, and is acted upon by a spring 50 l1 coiled about the stud II and having a bent end vengaging a notch in the 'top of the pawl il for pressing the pawl constantly into engagement with the ratchet wheel Il. The arm Ita also cooperateswithapairofspacedstops Il and Il u formed on the adjacent casing end wall 5, the latter of which extends laterally over the` actuating mechanism C and overlies the ratchet wheel I5 and pawl I4. The position of the stops Il and I8 is such that a reverse oscillation of the external actuating arm 2 to effect movement of the arm Ita into engagement with stop I9 and back against stop I8, will cause the ratchet wheel I5 to be advanced one tooth and the counting wheel III to be advanced one-tenth of a revolution. The stop I9'has an inclined lower face 20, against which the top of pawl I4 engages simultaneously with the engagement of arm IBa with stop I9, as

shown in Fig. 5, thus locking the ratchet wheel I5 against rotation in either direction and preventing overthrow of the counting wheel I at the end of a counting movement. Anon-reverse pawl 2I is also pivoted on a shaft z2, which carries the transfer pinions 9 and this pawl acts, under tension of a spring 23, to prevent the ratchet I from rotating reversely during the return of the pawl I4 to initial position. f

In my improvedmechanism, I also employ a locking pawl 24 fixed to a shaft 24a journalled in the arm IGaintermediate its ends, and a cooperating ratchet wheel 25 having its teeth disposed oppositely to those of the ratchet I5 and rotatable with said ratchet wheel and rotatable during counting, with the hub of the lowest order wheel I0; this mechanism functioning to prevent advance of that wheel ahead of the actuating Y mechanism by inertia, during a registering operation, either by a sharp, incomplete operation of the actuating arm 2, or as a result of a blow on arm 2, for example, when the stop arm Isa is intermediate the stops I 8 and I8. As shown, the ratchet wheel '25, although smaller, has the same number of teeth as the ratchet wheel Il.l

'I'he coil spring Il which has one end engaging the actuating pawl I4 also has its other end hooked over the locking pawl 24, and thusserves to hold both pawls in engagement with their cooperative ratchet wheels. Further, the shaft v24a carries an arm 21a on the opposite side of is rotatedy one-tenth of a revolution each time` that vthe actuating arm 2 is moved to the left from its normal position shown in Fig. 3. During this registering stroke of arm 2, the toothed member I3 is moved clockwise into the position shown in Fig. 5 in which its arms Ita engage the stop I9. During this movement, the driving pawl I4 has vengaged and rotated'. the ratchetv wheel AI5 through the space of onetooth or onetenth of a revolution.. Thus, due to the pawl l24 and ratchet 25, the lowest order counting -wheel is effectively locked tothe actuating arm 2 and moves `in step therewith, from the very beginning of the registering movement of the counting wheel, and cannot, by its. inertia or otherwise, travel ahead of thev ratchet actuating mechanism. The top oriv driving pawl I4 has' also at the end of the stroke. engaged the abutarchaic ment surface 2II (Fig. 5) and acts as a wedge between this surface and the ratchet wheel I5, thus securely locking the lowest order wheel against rotation in either direction and particularly preventing over-travel of the same in a counting direction. Moreover, note that after ing engagement with itsratchet wheel 25, thus Y permitting the actuating mechanism to return to its initial position.

As the actuating arm 2 is returned to its initial position following the above described registering stroke, the locking pawll 24 is held out of locking engagement with its cooperating ratchet wheel '25 by the. engagement of the control arm 21a with cam 28 long enough to permit the locking pawl 24 to pass over .the tooth with which it was in locking engagement during the previous registering stroke. 'I'his will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 5, showing the locking pawl before the return movement of the actuating arm has begun. Here it will be noted that during this return movement of the actuating mechanism, the counting wheel Ill is locked against advance with respect to its actuating mechanism, and further noted that, if by any fraudulent means, it has been already advanced, it will be returned by the locking pawl 24 to its correct position.

In the modied construction shown in Figs. 11 to 14, which is adapted to use with a lowest order wheel without a clutch connection therein corresponding to that shown in Fig. 10, vrthe left hand end of the arm 21a is provided with an extension 21 which engages the stop `I8 just prior to engagement of arm Ia with thisstop, thus rocking the locking pawl 24 out of engagement with its cooperating ratchet wheel 25. `This arrangement may be required in the instance where the usual resetting feature is desired,k

tion, the extension 21 engages stop I8 and, inf

doing so the locking pawl 24 is released from its ratchet 25, which release is maintained only while. arm I6a is in initial position.` Thus, at initial position of the actuating mechanism, the locking pawl, being'released from its ratchet 25, permits the said ratchet to be rotated ini-ja forward or" counting direction'when actuated by the resetting device to set the,- counting'wheels to zero. It is to be noted, however, th'atlocking pawl 24 swings into engagement with its ratchet 25 at the instant arm Ita is actuated from its initial position and the arm IIa and associated actuating mechanism are thus locked to ratchets I5, 25 to prevent any rotation of the ratchets relatively to the actuating mechanism during the actuating and return strokes and thereby prevent fraudulent manipulationof the counten In both forms of my invention, it will be cb-v served that the shaft I is p/rovided with a usual` resettingv groove or slot 29 adapted to cooperate with usual pawls 29a carried on they number manner that resetting may be' effected in a` usual manner by rotating a wing nut 30 to rotate shaft I. i

As a result of my invention, it will be evident that I have provided. an improved register of the ratchet actuated type, wherein the lowest order counting Wheel of the register is positively locked against over-travel at the end of the registering stroke, and in which it is also locked to the actuating mechanism during the registering stroke, in such manner as to prevent fraudulent advance c1' the count by the manipulation of the actuating mechanism,l or by a blow on the same. Further, it will be noted that, as a result of my improved construction, in the normal position of the parts, the driving pawl is out of engagement with the cooperating tooth of its driving ratchet wheel, so that a blow on the actuating mechanism cannot be transmitted to the counting wheel. Also in the modiiled form, in which the locking pawl 2l is initially out of engagement, before pawl I4 engages its cooperating tooth, locking engagement takes place between the pawl 24 of the actuating mechanism and the ratchet wheel 25 of the counter wheel. Further, it will be` noted that in the return movement of the actuating arm, following a registering stroke, the locking means is likewise operative to prevent fraudulent advance ci the counter Wheel to register a count. While I have in this application speciicaliy described two embodiments which my invention may assume in practice, -it will be understood that the same are shown forl illustrative purposes only and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope oi lthe appended claims. f

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a register, va rotatable counting member, ratchet actuating mechanism including a driving ratchet Wheel operatively connected to said member and a pivoted actuating member having a driving pawl adapted to cooperate with said ratchet wheel, stops between which said actuating member is movable, and controlling mechanism for locking said actuating member and driving ratchet wheel for movement together during a part of the registering stroke including a locking ratchet rotatable with said driving ratchet and having oppositely disposed ratchet teeth and a cooperating locking pawl pivotally mounted on said pivoted actuating member.

2. In a register, a rotatable counting member, ratchet actuating mechanism including a driving ratchet Wheel operatively connected to said memengageable with one of said stops near the end.

of the registering stroke of said actuating member for moving said locking pawl out of locking engagement with its cooperating locking ratchet wheel.

3. In a register, a rotatable counting member having two ratchet wheels with oppositely directed teeth rotatable therewith, vand actuating means fprsaid member including a pivoted actuating member having two oppositely disposed pawls pivctally mounted thereon in position to cooperate respectively with said ratchet wheels upon movement of said actuating member.

4. In a register, a rotatable counting member having two ratchet wheels with oppositely directed teeth rotatable therewith, actuating means for said member having two oppositely disposed pawls pivotally mounted thereon in position to cooperate respectively with said ratchet wheels uponmovement of said actuating member, and control means for effecting disengagement of one oi.' said pawls from its cooperating ratchet wheel near the end of the registering movement of said actuating member.

5. In a register, a rotatable counting member having two ratchet wheels with oppositely dil rected teeth rotatable therewith, actuating means for lsaid member including a pivoted actuating member having two oppositely disposed pawls pivotally mounted thereon in position to cooperate respectively with said ratchet wheels upon movement of said actuating member, spaced stop means for limiting the movement of said actuating member, and control'means including a controlling arm movable with one of said pawls and engageable with said spaced stops for effecting disengagement of said pawl from its cooperating ratchet wheel as said actuating arm approaches the opposite ends oi its path of movement. f

6. In a` register, a rotatable counting member having two ratchet wheels with oppositely di-I rected teeth rotatable therewith, actuating means for said member including a pivoted actuating member having two oppositely directed pawis pivotally mounted thereon in position to cooperate respectively with said ratchet Wheels upon movement of said actuating member, a stop cooperating with said actuating member at Ithe end of registering movement thereof also having means simultaneously cooperating with one ci said pawls for preventing rotation of said counting member, and means carried by the other of said pawls and cooperating with `a fixed portion of said counter for camming said latter pawl out of engagement with its ratchet wheel during the completion of the registering stroke and for maintaining it out of engagement therewith during the initial return movement of said actuating member and while said counting member remains locked against rotation by said iirst mentioned pawl.

7. In a register, a rotatable counting member y'having an actuating ratchet wheel rotatable therewith, actuating mechanism for said member including a pivoted member having an actuating pawl adapted to cooperate with said ratchet wheel, means for interlocking said counting member and said actuating member in all positions of the latter including a locking ratchet wheel on said counting member having teeth oppositely directed with respect to the teeth of said actuating ratchet'wheel and a locking pawl member pivotallyv mounted on said pivoted member and constantly biased into engagement with said. locking ratchet wheel, and means for camming said locking pawl member over a tooth of its cooperating ratchet wheel near the end of each registering stroke of said actuating member for permitting the return of said actuating mechanism independently of said counting member.

8. In a register, a rotatable, counting member having an. actuating ratchet' wheel rotatable therewith, actuating mechanism therefor inciuding a pivoted actuating member having a pawl, adapted to cooperate Awith said ratchet wheel, and means `for preventing fraudulent advance of Said counting member without a corresponding movement of said actuating mechanism including a locking ratchet wheel rotatable with said counting member having its teeth oppositely directed with respect to said actuating ratchet wheel 4and a locking pawl pivotally mounted onzsaid actuating member and engaging said locking wheel in the normal. position of said actuating mechanism prior to a registering operation of the latter.

9. In a register, a rotatable counting member, ratchet actuating mechanism therefor including an actuating ratchet and pawl, means for pre- A venting an overthrow rotation oi' said member in advance of said ratchet actuating means and including a second ratchet and pawl oppositely disposed with reference to said actuating ratchet and pawl, said second pawl being engaged ,with and movable with said second ratchet during the x registering stroke oi said ratchet actuating mechanism, and means for disengaging said` second pawl from said second ratchet just before the end of the registering stroke. Y

10. In a register, a rotatable counting member, ratchet actuating mechanism therefor including an actuating ratchet and pawl, means for pre- Venting an overthrow rotation of said member in advance of said ratchet actuating means and including a second ratchet and pawl oppositely disposed with reference to said actuating ratchet and pawl, said second pawl being engaged with and movable with said second ratchet during the registering stroke of said ratchet actuating mechanism. means'or disengaging said second pawl from said second ratchet just before the end of' the registering stroke. and means for positively holding. said iirst mentioned`pawl in engagement with said actuating ratchet during the compietion ci a registering stroke.

i1. In a register, a rotatable counting member, ratchet actuating mechanism including a ratchet, an oscillating member, and an actuating pawl pivoted to said oscillating member and cooperating with said ratchet; a second ratchet and pawl oppositely disposed with respect to said actuating ratchet, said second pawl being pivoted to said oscillating member, means for positively holding said rst pawl in engagement with the actuating ratchet during. the completion of the registering stroke of said oscillating member, and means for disengaging said second pawl from its ratchet u said oscillating member approaches the end of itsv operative stroke.

GEORGE J. GRIZEY. 

